I think you should have doubts, I do too, but they don't have to be grave - every country has to work these things out at some stage, and there are more frameworks to fit within than ever. The stronger the EU becomes, for instance, the easier it would be to fit Scotland in.

I think the Tories would do very well in an independent Scotland too - the Nationalists, once they'd got what they wanted, would fragment very quickly (for every person who acclaims their positive stance on immagration, there's another who'll mutter darkly about Tories in Tartan).

Former Yugoslavia is an example I hadn't thought of. I'd probably go for the Czech republic first, or Ireland, or that other ex-English colony: what do they call it now? The USA?